VanCon 2010 - My report, the pre-amble
It's my hope to post my entire report today but with pictures and links to include, there will be some time delays between uploading each successive part. Bear in mind, I have very few photos of my own to include of the actual con, though I will upload my photo ops. Besides, better photographers with much better cameras have already posted their stuff here at the Supernatural Wiki.
Last year, due to real life slamming me with a 180, I failed miserably at finishing my VanCon report and, with the exception of posting some photo op pics accompanied by some comments, I barely touched on the glorious day that was the Sunday… breakfast with the boys, their panels, photo-ops and autographs. So, before leaving for VanCon 2010, I had pretty much decided in advance that I would focus on the Sunday and keep my other comments to a minimum. So, what follows is going to be a bit of a summary of my vacation with more detail as I get into each day at the con.
On Monday August 23rd, I flew into Abbotsford which worked so much better for my RL friend L in terms of picking me up. She and R live less than 15 minutes from that airport, so we got back to her place by about 7:30pm (10:30pm my time). I was pretty bagged by then but we visited for a couple of hours before all heading off to bed. If you recall from last year's report, R&L were still building their house when I stayed with them so my "room" had been a terrific trailer situated next to the property's original little cottage. Though some finishing touches still need doing and the exterior landscaping, etc. is yet to be completed, this time we were all under one roof in their new home and that made for an even more comfortable visit and wonderful time. I left mornings to L&R to do their farm chores, learning my lesson last year that my coming along to help, is more a hindrance/distraction to their routines than anything else. I'd hang around the house with Foxy or play with Hud, who's physically pretty much all grown up now, but not at all mentally, since meeting him last year. Here are a few pictures of each of them - it was hard to choose just one for each ;).
My "progeny" are still there of course, so it was great to see Kismet's grand-daughter Finesse and gt-grandson Yukon again as well as L's other Jack Russells. I definitely got my fix while staying there ;).
On the Tuesday, S with an I came up from Washington. She's a fellow JRT enthusiast who has visited hubby & I in the past and it was great to see her after a good 3 or 4 years of not having done so. She, L, and I lunched together near Surrey and went to the Thunderbird Show Park to watch the pretty, pretty horses in training for the various big equestrian events being held there that week. Ran into S with a Y there, mom of P, who had visited hubby and I with L back when she about 15. P's a DJ in Edmonton now. God, am I old LOL! We had a terrific day and Wednesday was just as much fun with just L & I checking out antique and other shops, plus running errands, in and around Abbotsford/Aldergrove.
Thursday, deangirl1 and ch3lls were kind enough to road-trip from the con hotel to pick me up but, before we left R&L's place, we visited with some of L's horses and dogs. Then the 4 of us headed off to a neighboring farm to see L's gorgeous stallion and the even more gorgeous and adorable plethora of mares and their foals. They were all so beautiful!!
After a farewell to L and major thanks for putting me up once again, we traveled through Langley on our way to the hotel and drove by Choo Choo's and Viva Mexico, restaurants seen in Sin City. Even though it was just a drive by, it really is nifty to know you're looking at a place where Jensen & Jared shot a scene ;).
The remainder of Thursday is a bit of a blur, with deangirl1 , ch3lls and I going our separate ways so that I could check in and they could start volunteering and picking up supplies respectively. deangirl1 was (not surprisingly at all) incredibly busy throughout the con as a volunteer so we didn't get to visit much and I only had one other brief encounter with ch3lls during the weekend. With so many fans there, it's really amazing how you can not run into those you know over the course of the con.
Speaking of which, last year, despite having each others cell and seat numbers, somehow heather03nmg and I managed to miss meeting each other in person for the first time. This time I was determined to track her down and, as luck would have it, I found her sitting at a table outside the hotel on Thursday afternoon. It was so great to finally meet and say thank-you in person to my fanfic medical advisor :)!! After having altogether too much fun chatting, she and friends Sue and Tammy were kind enough to invite me along with them to dinner and so we headed down to Burrard & Robson to a popular sushi place. Whereupon, after having had sushi the night before and salmon before that with R&L, I promptly ordered the chicken LOL. Thanks, ladies for the great company and helping me kill time before my roomies arrived ;).
Back at the hotel, and after registering for the con and buying a Matt Cohen photo op and Jason Manns concert ticket, I headed back to my room to await the arrival of nonniemous and writerinchains . This was about 11pm and, no sooner had I closed the door behind me had they arrived. It was so great to see them both after getting along so well last year \o/. We stayed up and gabbed - no surprise there *g*
For much of the con, inchains and I kept pretty much to the same schedule. We both had silver seats on opposite sides of row L which made it relatively easy to find each other. nonnie, otoh, decided a trip to Vancouver required some "other" cultural experiences so would venture out each morning to various gardens, museums, etc. and then make it back to the hotel without missing the majority of the guests.
And now my real con report begins…
Last year, due to real life slamming me with a 180, I failed miserably at finishing my VanCon report and, with the exception of posting some photo op pics accompanied by some comments, I barely touched on the glorious day that was the Sunday… breakfast with the boys, their panels, photo-ops and autographs. So, before leaving for VanCon 2010, I had pretty much decided in advance that I would focus on the Sunday and keep my other comments to a minimum. So, what follows is going to be a bit of a summary of my vacation with more detail as I get into each day at the con.
On Monday August 23rd, I flew into Abbotsford which worked so much better for my RL friend L in terms of picking me up. She and R live less than 15 minutes from that airport, so we got back to her place by about 7:30pm (10:30pm my time). I was pretty bagged by then but we visited for a couple of hours before all heading off to bed. If you recall from last year's report, R&L were still building their house when I stayed with them so my "room" had been a terrific trailer situated next to the property's original little cottage. Though some finishing touches still need doing and the exterior landscaping, etc. is yet to be completed, this time we were all under one roof in their new home and that made for an even more comfortable visit and wonderful time. I left mornings to L&R to do their farm chores, learning my lesson last year that my coming along to help, is more a hindrance/distraction to their routines than anything else. I'd hang around the house with Foxy or play with Hud, who's physically pretty much all grown up now, but not at all mentally, since meeting him last year. Here are a few pictures of each of them - it was hard to choose just one for each ;).
My "progeny" are still there of course, so it was great to see Kismet's grand-daughter Finesse and gt-grandson Yukon again as well as L's other Jack Russells. I definitely got my fix while staying there ;).
On the Tuesday, S with an I came up from Washington. She's a fellow JRT enthusiast who has visited hubby & I in the past and it was great to see her after a good 3 or 4 years of not having done so. She, L, and I lunched together near Surrey and went to the Thunderbird Show Park to watch the pretty, pretty horses in training for the various big equestrian events being held there that week. Ran into S with a Y there, mom of P, who had visited hubby and I with L back when she about 15. P's a DJ in Edmonton now. God, am I old LOL! We had a terrific day and Wednesday was just as much fun with just L & I checking out antique and other shops, plus running errands, in and around Abbotsford/Aldergrove.
Thursday, deangirl1 and ch3lls were kind enough to road-trip from the con hotel to pick me up but, before we left R&L's place, we visited with some of L's horses and dogs. Then the 4 of us headed off to a neighboring farm to see L's gorgeous stallion and the even more gorgeous and adorable plethora of mares and their foals. They were all so beautiful!!
After a farewell to L and major thanks for putting me up once again, we traveled through Langley on our way to the hotel and drove by Choo Choo's and Viva Mexico, restaurants seen in Sin City. Even though it was just a drive by, it really is nifty to know you're looking at a place where Jensen & Jared shot a scene ;).
The remainder of Thursday is a bit of a blur, with deangirl1 , ch3lls and I going our separate ways so that I could check in and they could start volunteering and picking up supplies respectively. deangirl1 was (not surprisingly at all) incredibly busy throughout the con as a volunteer so we didn't get to visit much and I only had one other brief encounter with ch3lls during the weekend. With so many fans there, it's really amazing how you can not run into those you know over the course of the con.
Speaking of which, last year, despite having each others cell and seat numbers, somehow heather03nmg and I managed to miss meeting each other in person for the first time. This time I was determined to track her down and, as luck would have it, I found her sitting at a table outside the hotel on Thursday afternoon. It was so great to finally meet and say thank-you in person to my fanfic medical advisor :)!! After having altogether too much fun chatting, she and friends Sue and Tammy were kind enough to invite me along with them to dinner and so we headed down to Burrard & Robson to a popular sushi place. Whereupon, after having had sushi the night before and salmon before that with R&L, I promptly ordered the chicken LOL. Thanks, ladies for the great company and helping me kill time before my roomies arrived ;).
Back at the hotel, and after registering for the con and buying a Matt Cohen photo op and Jason Manns concert ticket, I headed back to my room to await the arrival of nonniemous and writerinchains . This was about 11pm and, no sooner had I closed the door behind me had they arrived. It was so great to see them both after getting along so well last year \o/. We stayed up and gabbed - no surprise there *g*
For much of the con, inchains and I kept pretty much to the same schedule. We both had silver seats on opposite sides of row L which made it relatively easy to find each other. nonnie, otoh, decided a trip to Vancouver required some "other" cultural experiences so would venture out each morning to various gardens, museums, etc. and then make it back to the hotel without missing the majority of the guests.
And now my real con report begins…